About the Academy
The academy welcomes hockey players of all abilities and offers a dual-track developmental model for both elite and developmental student-athletes. This will be accomplished by: challenging each student, individualizing certain lesson plans and providing personal-pace development for each player. Student-athletes will also be exposed to multiple coaches who work on all fundamental skills, be introduced to multiple sports and activities, and learn key life skills.
Serge Lajoie joins academy as lead instructor
Our Hockey Academy is thrilled to announce that Serge Lajoie has joined the academy as lead instructor. Serge brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help our students and staff grow and learn.
Serge is well known throughout the hockey community in western Canada. He has held management and coaching roles with the Edmonton Oil Kings, the Kamloops Blazers, the University of Alberta Golden Bears, and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Ooks men's hockey teams. He holds a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Arts degree, specializing in coaching.
Serge welcomes the opportunity to work in St. Albert, return to working at the grass roots level, and re-establish a better work/family life balance. He's looking forward to the working with the youth of St. Albert, assisting in their personal and athletic growth and getting to know the young student-athletes in the community
Serge's coaching philosophy encompasses the following:
- Culture is more important than structure
- Fostering positive relationships with athletes around the values of respect, joy, hard work, compassion and competitiveness
- Being a positive leader in creating a growth environment where each student-athlete has the opportunity to maximize their potential as a person and as a player
We are excited to welcome him to our academy, as he brings his expertise in managing and running a professional practice environment to our students. Welcome, Serge!
On Ice
The focus on the ice is total hockey skill development: skating, shooting, passing, puck handling, offensive and defensive tactics, position specific teaching, goal scoring, and positioning on the ice. This will be taught by running high-level intensity on-ice sessions designed to develop all of the hockey player’s fundamental skills. No hockey team systems will be taught. Student-athletes can focus on their individual skill development in order to enhance their growth as hockey players so that they contribute to their club teams and their team’s coach. We desire to work with a player’s club team and its coach and wish to enhance each player’s own personal development and growth as a hockey player.
Off Ice
To become a successful hockey player and to enhance on-ice skill development, the off-ice training component must be taken seriously. Players must be dedicated to the off-ice sessions in order to grow and develop, and to improve sports performance. There will be one off-ice session per week, which will expose the students to multiple sports in the hopes that students will recognize the benefits of training different aspects of the body and the correlation of skills in different sports to the game of hockey.
The main components of the off-ice sessions are:
- Multi-Sport Exposure/Fitness: testing, flexibility, plyometrics, strength, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, cross training, and speed and agility; multi-sport exposure (curling, badminton, soccer, football, lacrosse, etc.)
- Mental Training: goal setting, relaxation, visualization, imagery, focusing, leadership and self-awareness
- Health/Physical Education: nutrition, team building, guest speakers, fitness/wellness, sports injuries, yoga and other sports
- Fun: Rremember, this is also meant to be a fun experience for students and some activities are booked with that in mind
High school
The focus of this 5-credit course is to develop players both physically and mentally for the game of hockey. During on-ice sessions, student-athletes will work on the fundamentals of the game of hockey while being pushed to advance their skills in specific ways to each individual. On the off-ice days with the Academy, we will focus on mental skills training, game analysis, and listen to guest speakers to prepare for the game at the highest levels. Student-athletes will be on the ice two days per week & one off-ice day per week with their academy cohort. The other two days will be site-based at school.
A monthly fee will apply.
2024-2025 Registration
Registration is now open.
All skill levels of hockey talent are welcome to participate in the hockey Academy, as well as both male and females.
We want student-athletes who are passionate about the game of hockey, who want to improve themselves on and off the ice, and who have a desire to learn and commit to improvement and progression. Each student-athlete must be self-motivated, have a positive attitude, have a high work ethic, be dedicated to success and have a desire to become a leaders.
Acceptance into the academy will not be confirmed until the non-refundable deposit is remitted with your child’s registration. The first month’s payment (due September 1) will be withheld for withdrawal from the Academy once the student is accepted into the program.
During “Registration Week” in September, regular school fees must be paid in full.
Student-athletes will not receive their apparel package or any essential documents until the first installment is made.
If the first installment is not paid by September 15th the student may be excluded from the Academy program until the payment has been made.
Grades 4-9
| Non-refundable deposit (due at registration) | $240 |
| September 1 | $240 |
| October 1 | $240 |
| November 1 | $240 |
| December 1 | $240 |
| January 1 | $240 |
| February 1 | $240 |
| March 1 | $240 |
| April 1 | $240 |
| May 1 | $240 |
Grades 10-12
| Non-refundable deposit (due at registration) | $240 |
| September 1 | $200 |
| October 1 | $200 |
| November 1 | $200 |
| December 1 | $200 |
| January 1 | $200 |
A portion of the Academy fees are determined by expenses incurred for advance booking of facilities, staffing, transportation and activities. Early withdrawal from the Academy may result in administrative charges to cover the student’s portion of these expenses. Such charges will be pro-rated and determined on an individual basis.
Hillgrove student fees will be discussed with families.
Everything you need to know about the Hockey Academy is in our Parent guide.
Sign up to receive important updates from your instructor. Please find your group and add the specific group.
Mike Fiorillo, Coordinator
Alex Aldred, Instructor
Matt Biollo, Lead Teacher, Grade 7, William D. Cuts
Levi Fesyk, Instructor
Matt Frattin, Instructor
Eddie Gallagher Jr., Instructor
Debbie Klatt, High Performance Power Skating Instructor
Mat Knoll, Lead Teacher, Grade 6, Lois E. Hole
Melissa Kueber, Lead Teacher, Grade 5, Lois E. Hole
Serge Lajoie, Lead Instructor
Tanner McCorriston, Lead Teacher, Grade 4, Lois E. Hole
Kevin Nastiuk, Goalie Instructor
Graeme Scott, Lead Teacher, Grade 4/5, Ronald Harvey
Aaron Sorochan, Goalie Instructor
Are you are trying to decide if becoming a student-athlete is the correct choice for you? Please watch our video with frequently-asked questions to help with any uncertainty.
Our Mission
Priority #1
Development. This is in the form of personal growth and development, hockey development and educational development. We want each student-athlete to grow in terms of being responsible and accepting one’s own level of accountability, to improve each student’s individual skill and talent level, as well as their understanding of the game, and to achieve academic success in the classroom.
Priority #2
Commitment to the sport of hockey and to the Academy hockey program. To provide the best environment for the improvement of on-ice hockey skills, a high level of commitment and dedication, focusing on excellence and execution, must be made by each student-athlete. The objective is to see improvement in each individual’s own hockey skills and talents.
Priority #3
There must be a certain level of enjoyment and satisfaction for each student-athlete. This clearly translates into everyone having “fun”. It is important to remember that, for how important we think this sport of hockey is to us – it still remains a game, of which we are privileged to be a part.
Priority #4
Image. It must be seen as a privilege to participate in this hockey academy – not an entitlement. This is a unique opportunity and expectations are to put forth a positive student-athlete image - in the school, in the community, at the facilities we use, and with the student’s club team. Image considerations are: character, pride, discipline and work ethic.
There is a difference between having Character and being a Character; and we must know that difference, and when each may be appropriate.